the odds are less in your favor if you're gay
by Ena and Naomi
Summary: What if Katniss didn't even exist in Hunger Games? What if, for this Hunger Games, two boys were picked for District Twelve? Gale and Peeta unexpectedly are thrown into the Hunger Games, and everyone thinks they're together. Add fangirl mutts, Cato's obsession with Gale, and you have the 74th Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

It was a time that Gale dreaded.

The Reaping.

It was Gale's last reaping, which was a big relief in itself, but then he would just have to work at the mines. Trading one horrible thing for another. Somehow, though, he knew this year would be different. He thinks that maybe the whole district could feel it, and the anticipation was thick in the air.

But the anticipation was dulled slightly by dread. Different isn't always good.

That statement was proved when the very colorful Capitol woman meant to reap for District 12 called out, "Gale Hawthorne!"

He stood there, numb, wondering if he heard it right.

"Gale Hawthorne? Where are you, dear?"

Everyone around him slowly moved away from him, making a path to the stage. He moved forward, but his mind was still back where he had been standing. The peacekeepers stayed at all corners while he walked. He felt trapped, and really, he was. He climbed the stairs to the top of the platform, and with each step, his mind was realizing that this was real, he was now competing in the Hunger Games.

He was broken out of his thoughts when the woman spoke again in her high-pitched voice.

"Now, for this year's games, things are going to be a bit different." Gale looked at her, studying her. She had bright purple hair, matching the terrifying amounts of makeup that was on her face, along with the odd looking dress. She moved to the other side of the stage where the glass bowl for the girl's reapings was. She gestured to the bowl as she said, "This year, for District 12, we are reaping two boys, instead of one boy and one girl."

Anybody with ears could hear the sighs of relief coming from the girl's side.

Anybody with eyes could see the boys tense up again, waiting for their name to be called with dread in their hearts.

Gale just stared into the crowd, wanting to get this over with. That is, until he heard the name, "Peeta Mellark!"

It sounded so familiar, though he couldn't remember where he had heard it. He searched the crowd, and at that moment, when he locked eyes with the boy, he remembered.

It was rainy, the ground was muddy, and the clouds made District 12 look gloomy. This wasn't a day to be outside, but Gale found that he didn't care. He was heading to the Hob, to trade his game for other things his family needed.

He could hear the patter of rain drops hitting the ground as he walked back to his home and the sound of splashing from his boots stepping in puddles like a little tune. He hummed along with it until he heard a sharp cry. He stopped, looking in every direction for where it could be coming from. After waiting several moments hearing nothing, he kept walking, though the tune was seemingly lost after hearing the pain filled cry.

Maybe it was his imagination, maybe-

"Ah! Please, stop!"

This time he just followed his instincts running to where he heard the voice, and what he found froze him in his tracks.

There were three boys, one of them being ganged up on by the other two. The boy had some arm muscle, but not enough to fight back at the other boys effectively.

Gale watched numbly as the other boys beat him, hitting and kicking anywhere they could reach. He watched until they finished, spitting on the beaten boy before leaving. He knew the boy was almost unconscious, but the boy used what little strength he had left to lift his head, and he seemed to stare right at where Gale was standing. Gale was standing behind a wide oak tree, the darkness of the clouds hiding him, but he couldn't help but think that maybe the boy saw him, right when they locked eyes.

They were the same brown eyes, and he watched as the boy- no, Peeta- climbed the stairs to the stage looking just as hollow as he had the day they met. When the woman suggested they shake hands they did, and Gale kept thinking that Peeta recognized him too, somehow, and that's why Peeta's grip was so firm, squeezing tightly at his hand in maybe anger at all those years ago.

With a few more words from the Capital woman, the reaping was over.

* * *

After a small talk with family, Gale and Peeta found both of themselves on the train, Gale appearing to have remnants of a smile on his face while Peeta seemed subdued, staring out the blur of people outside the window. All was forgotten though when the capital woman from the Reaping came into the train compartment.

She stood there awkwardly at first as if she wasn't sure what to do now. Usually, Gale assumed, she had one boy and one girl. He wondered how that would make any difference, but she was from the Capitol.

"Well," she started, "Introductions are in order, I suppose. I'm Effie, and my colleague Haymitch is your mentor."

"What does that make you then?" Gale inquired.

She pursed her lips, thinking. "I suppose that would make me your... escort? Yes, that sounds right." Peeta stares at her for a long moment, before asking, "Where's Haymitch then?" She waves a hand at him. "Oh, I don't know. He could be anywhere." She rolls her eyes as she adds, "Drunk probably."

"I may be drunk, but I can spot two twinks when I see them. Effie will have you fucking in no time."

The boys are startled as their heads whip to the doorway, where a blond man is standing, a glass of dark liquid in his hand. He swirls the liquid around in the glass as he states, "Effie, I could see you fangirling a mile away." She turns to him, and states in an exasperated tone, "I'm allowed to, aren't I? This is the first time I've had two boys! And I was going to be subtle, so thanks for that."

Gale and Peeta are confused. "What are you guys talking about? Fangirling? Twinks? Fucking?" Peeta asks incredulously.

"We aren't even together! That's not even allowed in the districts! And, in case you've forgotten, this isn't some sort of dating game, it's the Hunger Games. Not ideal for fucking anyone, I'm afraid," Gale says.

Peeta snickers before saying, "And neither of us are gay. Wait, you're not, right Gale?" Looking to him for confirmation. "No, I'm not. We barely have time for girls, as it is. There are other important things," Gale confirms. He stands up, walking to the other exit that leads to his personal train car. Before he leaves, he turns to point at Effie and Haymitch. "Whatever it is that you two have planned, don't bring me into it. Just let me play the Games, let me win, or let me die. I don't have time for romance."

Then he leaves, the door closing with a click.

Peeta blinks at the door before turning back to Haymitch.

"Aren't you supposed to have advice or something?"

Haymitch smirks. "Fuck all you want in the arena, but don't die."

Peeta could hear Gale groan from the other side of the door, "Again, with the fucking..."


	2. Chapter 2

The tributes all wait in the barely-lit hall, waiting for their name to be called to go out and face the people. Gale can hear Ceaser shouting and laughing from here, and he squirms uncomfortably in his suit. He's next in line, and he can feel Peeta's breath on his neck, and he shivers.

He turns to Peeta annoyed. "Would you stop doing that?"

Peeta's eyes meet his, then he leans in close and whispers in his ear, "You know you like it," he teases. Gale's eyes widen but he doesn't have the chance to say anything before his name is called and he's ushered out onto the stage, the screams of the Capitol ringing in his ears. Ceaser, with his blue, slicked-back hair, welcomes him.

"Gale Hawthorne, everybody!" Ceaser shows him off to the crowd like a trophy before letting him sit down in the ridiculous plush chair next to Ceaser's. The screams die down and Ceaser looks him straight in the eye, getting down to business. "So... I feel like everyone wants to know, what's your relationship status?" The ladies in the crowd giggle and swoon. Gale looks at them, vaguely terrified, and says, "I'm single, and I'm STRAIGHT," he says, looking straight at the camera.

He can almost hear Effie's sob of despair.

Ceaser looks at him skeptically. "Alrighty, then... Are you sure? You seem to be pretty comfortable with your partner..." Gale shoves his face into his hands, groaning. "Why does everyone think I have a thing for Peeta?!"

"Well, I don't know if you've ever been to the Capitol before, but we kind of live for that shit," Ceaser replies with a grin.

Before he has a chance to say anything, Ceaser says into the mic, "Hey, someone push the lover in here!" The screen behind them changes to Peeta's shocked expression as Cato pushes him on stage, laughing his ass off. Someone brings out another chair to sit next to Gale's, and Peeta sits with a grin. He leans close to Gale, trailing his fingers down the other's arm. "Hey babe," he says, leaving Gale dumbfounded.

The crowd erupts into screams.

Ceaser smirks. "Not a couple, right?" Then he straightens up. "Though very seriously, when did this start?" Peeta snakes his hand down and entwines his fingers with Gale's, answering for him, "When I first saw him I knew it was meant to be." The crowd awed at the 'couple'. Gale attempted to take his hand out of Peeta's, when Ceaser asks, "So, when are we going to have a wedding for you two?"

Finally, Gale had had enough. He tightened his hand around Peeta's, and answered for him, "We aren't really sure yet, but we hope it's soon." Peeta turns to look at him, though he hides his shock well from the cameras. Gale quickly leans in for a kiss, grabbing the back of his neck to pull him closer and kiss him deeper, Peeta's lips unmoving in shock, listening to wolf-whistles from the crowd. Seconds later he backs out of the kiss and answers any other questions Ceaser has for them before ushering Peeta out of the room.

As soon as they're out of sight, Gale shoves him against the wall. "What the hell was that, Mellark?!"

Peeta looks him in the eye, expression neutral as he spits out, "I'm saving our asses. Without this, nobody is gonna care who we are. Without this, we aren't interesting enough to keep alive."

Gale nods, seemingly agreeing, and he starts to turn, only to whip back and punch him in the jaw, Peeta's head flying back into the brick wall as he whimpers in pain. Gale is already walking away, shoving away Effie's attempts to stop him as he goes into the elevator, doors closing him in.

Gale hears the electric slide of his door opening late at night, and almost immediately he's awake and alert, sitting up to see who the intruder is.

It's Peeta, with blotchy red eyes and messy hair, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"H-hey." Gale can hear the hesitation and fear in the one word and almost immediately he hates himself for putting it there.

"I'm s-sorry for... earlier. I-I should've asked y-you first." Peeta starts to walk away, and Gale groans before calling out, "Wait! Peeta, wait a minute."

Peeta turns around slowly, and Gale can see him shaking. "Are you okay?" He asks Peeta.

"J-just a nightmare," he says quickly.

Gale studies him for a moment before patting the space beside him on the bed. "C'mere. You can stay with me, if you want..." He can see Peeta hesitating, looking back to the door and then at Gale. "...are you sure?"

Gale swallows and nods, patting the bed again.

Peeta gives a small smile and walks slowly to the bed, lifting the covers and getting in, but staying as far away from Gale as possible. Gale sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry for hitting you. I'm not sorry about the reason I did it, but I'm sorry I hit you. I know it's kind of a sensitive thing for you." Peeta looked away in the other direction, refusing to look at him.

Even so, when Gale gave up on talking to him, he took comfort in the fact that he was no longer alone.

Effie smiles but doesn't say anything when she finds them in the morning wrapped tightly around each other, smiling in their sleep. She leaves them to sleep a while longer before they have to wake up and face reality.

Peeta wakes slowly, taking a deep breath, smelling rain and leather in the air.

Gale, he realizes. He's smelling Gale.

And instead of pulling away from Gale's embrace, he leans in closer, nuzzling his face into Gale's chest, warm and cozy. He knows the exact moment Gale wakes up- the arms around him tighten, pulling him even closer though it should have been impossible. And they stay like that, soaking up the silence, until Gale asks, "What is this?"

"I believe it's called cuddling."

Gale sits up, not quite letting go of Peeta yet, but making it clear that he's serious. Peeta sighs.

"What do you want it to be?"


End file.
